A Simple Shire Lass
by Winter Midnight
Summary: Rosie Cotton thinks she doesn't deserve Sam and when Frodo finds out, he tells her of a little known fact.


A Simple Shire Lass 

_Enough!_

Rosie Cotton slammed down the strip of cloth she was using to scrub the bar of the Green Dragon and with as much dignity and grace as she could muster, stormed out the front door, ignoring the stares following behind her.

The sun coated the Shire with glorious light and the sky shimmered a pleasant blue, vastly different to the darker inside of the crowded pub. Rosie glared at the sky as she stomped noisily down the path. People were so _stupid!_ Honestly she had had enough of all the whispers and sidelong glances. Did they really think she couldn't hear or see them? Had she gone blind and deaf without knowing it? Everyone else clearly thought so; it was as though they didn't even bother trying to be discreet!

The conversation in the bar a moment ago had been the last straw, the two gossiping hobbits had only been a few feet away from her as well! The wisps of the conversation fluttered around the angry haze in her mind. " _Why would he want a common thing like her?"_

" _After what he's done, you would think he'd go for someone of a higher stature…"_

" _Not even that pretty…"_

" _She doesn't deserve him"_

A slight irritation itched at the corner of both eyes and before she knew it, furious tears fell in two trails down her cheeks. The whispers and the stares had started shortly after Samwise had returned with the others and begun to court her. She had been thrilled when he'd asked and agreed instantly (he didn't need to know that she'd fancied him a little bit for a while). It didn't matter what he'd done, heck at the time she didn't even know what he _had_ done, Samwise had finally come home and she liked him all the same.

Shaking her head to clear her chaotic thoughts, Rosie realised her feet had lead her to the lake. She had always found the lake peaceful and quiet, the perfect place for when she needed to get away from everything. Straightening her work dress, Rosie carefully arranged herself on the bank, casting her eyes over the clear blue water catching sunlight in its net. A sigh escaped her lips as the fury that had crashed through her blood withered away like a dying weed.

She knew what they called her lover all across the land. From the kingdoms of men to the elven realms to the dwarven mountains, he was known as Samwise the Brave. He had been to Mordor and lived for pity's sake! (Well, along with Mr Frodo of course) The infernal place of blackened skies where to breathe the very air was to smell the taint of evil. Not only had they walked into that forsaken place, but had defeated the evil that dwelled there threatening to suffocate all of Middle-Earth with its darkness and lived to tell the tale. Rosie lay back across the long grass, golden curls splaying across the vibrant green. Her eyes followed a stray cloud moving steadily across the sky. _Well the joke's on them_ she thought as the cloud split in two, _I already knew I didn't deserve him._

"Miss Rosie?"

The quiet voice shook Rosie from her revelry and quickly pushing herself up; she turned her head trying to find the owner of the voice. Her eyes soon made contact with a male hobbit in possession of dark curly hair who was looking at her curiously. "Oh Mr Frodo!" she exclaimed while trying to smooth out her simple dress and arranging her blonde locks into some kind of order. She hadn't expected anyone to be at the lake at this time of day, especially not the hobbit who was responsible for _saving Middle-Earth._ Lost in her thoughts and attempting to once again look like a decent hobbit, she had not noticed Mr Frodo make his way towards her. "May I sit with you?" he asked, startling Rosie.

"Of course," she replied curiously as Mr Frodo positioned himself comfortably next to her. Casting her eyes over the company she'd gained, Rosie noted his dark hair and cream shirt overlaid with braces that were holding up plain brown trousers. He looked no different or any more remarkable than any other hobbit in the Shire and yet, his expression as he gazed over the lake, it spoke of seeing unimaginable things and of sadness but also with a hint of longing and adventure. It was not hard to tell that Mr Frodo had come back from his journey a changed hobbit, but then again so had her Sam along with Merry and Pippin.

Suddenly Mr Frodo turned his head away from the calm lake and directed his attention at her. Quickly, Rosie moved her eyes downwards. She didn't want him to think she'd been staring, like most of the Shire did when he passed, as though he was an unobtainable object that they'd been graced with. It was rude for pity's sake! But before her thoughts grew angry again, a voice cut through the haze of her mind. "Do you mind if I ask you something?" Snapping her eyes upward, she saw Mr Frodo looking at _her_ with a curious expression.

"No, I don't mind. Though depending on the question, can't guarantee you'll get an answer." She grinned and saw his lips twitch in response.

"That sounds fair Miss Rosie. Well, I happened to see you making your way here and well, you seemed rather upset. I just wondered if perhaps I could help?" Mr Frodo managed to ask, a slight tinge of red on his cheeks. It seemed that the saviour of Middle-Earth he may be, but he was still shy when it came to conversation with others he did not greatly know. He had probably only talked to her because they had ended up speaking briefly when Sam had introduced them.

And there was the answer to his question. Sam. Rosie sighed. It had been sweet of Mr Frodo to ask and perhaps telling him how she felt would make her feel better. Her mother always said it did no good to keep things inside and maybe just maybe, Mr Frodo was the only hobbit who might just understand. Taking a breath to steady herself, she began "Everyone seems to think I've gone deaf and blind. They talk and whisper without even trying to be discreet."

"What do they say?" the concerned tone of Mr Frodo's question caused a sad smile to appear on Rose's lips.

"What could Sam see in her? Or she's not even that special or my favourite, she doesn't deserve him." She continued quietly pulling her knees up to her chest, aware of Mr Frodo's shocked gaze.

"Does Sam know about this?" he asked still seeming to be in the middle of processing the information she'd presented him with.

"No! And he doesn't need to, it'll only upset him. Besides," Rosie smiled without warmth "more fool them. I already knew I didn't deserve him." For some peculiar reason, an expression of sadness had formed on Mr Frodo's features. Maybe it was a mistake telling him, he was probably still dealing with the emotional turmoil of what they went through when traipsing all over Middle-Earth, he didn't need her adding to it. "Listen," she started hesitantly "you don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine. They're only words after all. Just, please don't tell Sam." Her voice falling into desperate pleading at the end. Well, at least she'd absolved Mr Frodo of any responsibility he may have started to feel at her tale. The male hobbit nodded. "I won't tell Sam."

Just as she opened her mouth to thank him, the Baggins carried on. "I will tell you something though, something that happened at the end of all things." Curiosity draped itself of her features. The end of all things? What was that? Mr Frodo noticed her expression, smiled and then began his tale.

 _They had made it to some sort of sanctuary on the side of Mount Doom, within the cursed realm of Mordor. The sky was still black as ink, like the rest of the landscape and the mountain. Frodo idly wondered if the glowing trails of lava trailing around the rocky outcrop he and Sam had found themselves on, were the only remnants of colour in this place._

 _Sam was breathing heavily next to him and only now could he feel like a great weight had been lifted. He felt light, probably the only being to ever feel that way in Mordor. Relief and realisation began to flow through his body. "It's gone!" he gasped out, feeling Sam's gaze turn to him. "It's done!"_

" _Yes Mr Frodo. It's over now." Sam confirmed, sounding exhausted. For a moment the slight breeze brushed over them, adding a little hope. Suddenly an almighty bang shot through the air and the mountain trembled and gurgled. The force threw Frodo forwards, Sam instinctively reaching to catch him. They crawled into a slight space in the rock, the exhaustion finally getting to Frodo and his body slumped on the ground. Now that his body and emotions had calmed a little, he could feel every cut, bruise and scab lining his body. His eyes fell closed, blocking out the desolate sky. Instead, a different vision painted itself across his eyelids. "I can see the Shire." He whispered. "The White River. Bagend. Gandalf's fireworks." Each vision was punctuated by his heavy breathing. "The lights. The Party Tree." Frodo smiled at what he saw when another voice spoke in the same whispered, tired tone. "Rosie Cotton dancing."_

 _Cracking his eyes open, Frodo cast them over the Sam, sitting next to him on the rock still covered in filth. "She had ribbons in her hair." He seemed lost in his memories and Frodo could see the slight shimmering round_ _Sam' _s eyes. "If ever I was to marry someone, it would have been her." His breathing seemed to change and Frodo could feel his own tears starting to form. "It would have been her." Sam repeated before giving into his cries. Pulling himself up, Frodo put his arm around Sam's shoulders and offered the only comfort he could. "Glad to be with you Samwise Gamgee." Fireballs crashed through the sky around them and the boiling lava only grew hotter. "Here at the end of all things."__

Her heart was exploding in her chest and she felt her mouth drop open. Mr Frodo had to be tricking her, it was impossible that when he thought death was coming for them, Sam would be thinking of _her_ out of everything else in the world! But the serious expression on the Baggins's face stopped that thought immediately. "So you see Miss Rosie, at the end of all things, all Sam wanted was you. I wouldn't let any hobbit tell you that you don't deserve him again and you can certainly stop thinking that way about yourself." Still recovering from the shock, Rosie nodded her head at the words. She was starting to relate to the part in Mr Frodo's tale about a great weight being lifted. She _did_ feel lighter, happier and incredibly lucky.

That did it. She was going to find Sam right now and proudly stand by his side, showing everyone else that she was good enough. Bouncing to her feet, she thanked Mr Frodo and gave him an impulsive hug (which he looked rather surprised about) and ran off down the path. The sun seemed brighter, the sky bluer than before as it chased her through the Shire. Hobbits whispered and stared as usual as she ran past, but for once she didn't care for their words, because she _was_ worth something. Worth enough to be thought of in the middle of Mordor at the end of all things.

The grin that stretched across her face stayed there all the way to Samwise the Brave's front door.

* * *

 _Apologies for any inaccuracies in the movie scene used. I couldn't make out all of what Frodo was saying. Hope you enjoyed._


End file.
